


One of the Best

by tuppenny



Series: Growing Together [22]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Babies, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24119452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuppenny/pseuds/tuppenny
Summary: A sweet moment after Katherine gives birth to the couple's fourth child on Mother's Day 1915.
Relationships: Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber
Series: Growing Together [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/763230
Comments: 48
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Mother's Day became a national holiday in the US in 1914.

**May 1915**

“Four kids, Ace,” Jack grinned, kissing his wife’s forehead as she leaned back into the stack of pillows piled by their headboard. “Does that mean we gotta celebrate Mother’s Day four days straight?”

“Well, I’m not entirely sure what Mother’s Day involves,” Katherine yawned, her eyes falling closed. “But if it means I get four naps, then yes, please.”

“You’ll get your naps, my dear,” Kate Pulitzer said from the other side of the room, where she was rearranging the room to the way it had looked before the midwife’s arrival early that morning. “Jack and I will make sure of that.”

Jack grinned at his mother-in-law and knelt down on the floor so that he was eye-level with the tiny bundle in Katherine’s arms. He sighed and propped his head on one hand, admiring his brand new daughter. “Lookit her, Kate. Ain’t she the prettiest baby you’ve ever seen?”

Katherine gave an amused snort without opening her eyes, and Kate laughed.

“I mean, besides our other three, of course,” Jack hastily amended. “And Katherine.”

“Katherine was a little goggle-eyed, if I remember correctly,” Kate mused, placing a cambric bluebird toy into a basket beside the baby’s bassinet. 

“Mama!” Katherine stirred just enough to shoot her mother a glare. “Thanks to me, you have yet another grandchild—I think that means you have to be nice to me for at least a little while!”

Kate squeezed Katherine’s toes gently. “You were a beautiful baby, darling. Not immediately, but you got there. And stayed there, too,” she added with a smile. “The goggle eyes were a temporary blip.”

Katherine resettled into the pillows, mollified by her mother’s compliments. “Well, Josephine’s got her father’s eyes, anyway,” she said, stroking one hand over the baby’s short, nearly translucent hair, “So it doesn’t much matter what mine looked like at her age.”

“Hard to believe you were ever that tiny,” Jack breathed, completely captivated by his youngest daughter and her button nose. “Hard to believe any of us were.”

“I don’t even want to think about her growing up,” Katherine said, tears welling in her eyes. “She’s so perfect just the way she is, and soon enough she’ll be off in school all day the way Eleanor will be come fall, and then it’ll be Nicky and Theo’s turns, and then we’ll be all alone, and what’ll Mother’s Day be then? Just a reminder that all my babies are grown and gone and don’t need me anymore?” She gave a strangled sob and hugged Josephine to her chest, the baby making a soft squeak at being moved and awoken. “Why do they have to leave? Why can’t she stay like this forever?”

“I forgot about this bit,” Jack said ruefully, rubbing his stubbled cheek. “You’re feelin’ every feeling in the world right now, aren’t ya, love?”

“Yes!” Katherine cried, the tears starting to fall in earnest. “I’m so happy and I’m so sad and I don’t know what to do about any of it!”

“Let me get you a hot water bottle and some tea, Kitty, and then you can take a nap,” Kate soothed. “You’re exhausted right now, that’s all. You worked very hard this morning, and you’ll feel better after some sleep.” She studied her daughter, a tender expression on her face. “A nap will do you good, love. You and Josephine both.”

Katherine nodded, her tears already beginning to slow, and Jack stretched out his arms to take the baby, who yawned and nestled her face into his chest.

Jack kissed his youngest daughter’s head and then looked over his shoulder out the doorway Kate had just walked through. “Our kids will always need you, macushla,” he said quietly, laying his good hand on Katherine’s arm and rubbing it softly. “You’re grown and independent, and you're stronger than anyone else I know, and even you still need your mother sometimes.”

“Yes,” Katherine whispered, her eyes fixed on the sleeping Josephine. “That’s true.”

“Well then,” Jack said with a nod, as if that settled things. “We’re gonna make sure our kids grow up smart an’ tough an’ able to take on whatever life hands them, for sure, but I c’n promise you right now, love, that no matter how big they get, they’ll always come back to you. Always.”

Katherine sniffled and looked up at Jack, her face blotchy from childbirth and from crying. “You really think so?” Her lower lip trembled, and Jack’s heart seized.

“I know so,” he said fervently, clasping her hand and squeezing it tightly. “You never outgrow a good mother, macushla. An’ you’s one of the best.”

She smiled, her eyes fluttering closed again. “Actually, dear heart, I think you’re contractually obligated to say I’m the _very_ best,” she mumbled, almost asleep. “After giving you four children, surely I deserve that.”

“You’re right, love,” he laughed, raising her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles. He felt her steady pulse in her hand, the light press of his daughter’s body in his arms, and closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply and relaxed into the weight of the moment, realizing that for now, for once, for the space of time between this breath and the next and—who knows, maybe for longer—he was utterly at peace. “You’re absolutely right, love,” he repeated, quieter now. “You always are.” He lowered Katherine’s hand back to the sheets and, caught up in awe and admiration for the woman he loved, watched her face slacken and her breathing slow. “Happy Mother’s Day, Katherine,” he murmured. “I love you more than words can say.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Josephine Faith (Josie) has hazel eyes and is born in May 1915. Jack and Katherine pick the middle name Faith because of what they went through as a family before having Josephine (see the Start Again story in this series) and because Katherine's pregnancy helped them to have faith that God would heal their family and that they would see brighter days ahead. Also, Ellie has a virtue as her middle name (Joy), and they wanted to repeat that for their next daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kelly kids meet their new sister.
> 
> Ellie is 6, Nicky is 3 1/2, and Theo is a little over 2 years old.

**Two Days Later**

Jack squatted down and looked his three small children in the eye. “Well, kiddos? Whad’ya say? Are you ready to meet your baby sister?”

Nicky frowned and popped his thumb into his mouth, Theo picked his nose and ate the findings, and Eleanor leaped into the air with a squeal of joy.

Jack pressed his lips together so as not to laugh and hefted Theodore onto his hip. “Your mother’s gonna be thrilled when you get those grubby fingers all over the baby,” he said, tapping Theo’s nose. “Just thrilled.”

“ _Ee-oh_ baby,” Theo protested. “No odda baby.”

“Uh uh, Bear—there is very much another baby,” Jack said. “Remember how Mommy’s had a baby in her tummy? Well, now the baby’s not in her tummy anymore. It’s in the apartment, and we’re gonna go say hello.”

“ _Daddy_ ,” Eleanor sighed loudly. “There was never a baby in Mommy’s _tummy_. The baby was in her _uterus_.”

“Inna ammy-otic foo-id,” Nicholas added, before jamming his thumb back in his mouth.

“That’s right, Bug,” Eleanor beamed, taking Nicholas’ free hand. “And now the baby’s borned, so we’re gonna go say hi!” She swung their joined hands back and forth and looked up at Jack. “Daddy, Nicky’s so smart, maybe he c’n even go to my school someday!” She turned back to her brother and bent her head down to his height, enunciating her words as clearly as possible. “Would you like that, Nicky-dear? Goin’ ta my school an’ eatin’ snacks an’ learnin’ math with Miss Ellis?”

Nicholas nodded solemnly and mumbled something unintelligible.

“Nicky says yes,” Eleanor pronounced, marching to the door and dragging Nicholas along behind her. “Not Theo, though,” she said, squatting down and trying to jam her feet in her shoes without unbuttoning them. “He’s not very smart. He eats mucus outta his _nose!”_

Nicholas laughed and Theo wailed, knowing he was being teased even if he didn’t understand how.

“Oh, Ellie,” Jack said, rubbing his face and casting an exasperated look at Rosie and Charlie, who’d been observing the whole scene. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“Sometimes true stuff isn’t very nice,” Eleanor said loftily, standing up with her shoes crumpled under her feet.

“Well, you still shouldn’t say it unless you _need_ to,” Jack admonished, and Rosie gave a sharp exhale of amusement that caused Jack to turn to her, his eyebrows raised.

“Eleanor thinks a lot of things _need_ to be said,” she said, a wry twist to her lips.

“Like that Eddie has big ears,” Charlie added. “Or that our house smells funny.”

Jack winced. “I’m so sorry, guys,” he said, rolling his right shoulder. “Here you are, doin’ us a favor, an’—”

“Aw, stop it,” Charlie interrupted, waving his hand. “We love her, Jackie. She’s a hoot.”

“That she is,” Rosie agreed, watching Eleanor sing a song to herself as she waited by the door. “An’ if Josie’s anything like her, you could start a three-ring circus with just the two of them.”

Jack shook his head and caught hold of Theo’s hand before the toddler could engage in any more nostril explorations. “We’ve already got a three-ring circus at our house, as you well know. I keep thinkin' that one of these days, surely, we're gonna get a quiet one, but...”

“But you know that guys like you don't end up with kids like Davey's?" Charlie teased.

Jack huffed a laugh. “I swear, if Josephine ain't quiet at least _some_ of the time, I might hafta switch her out for Asher. It's a miracle how quiet that baby is."

“I'd've killed someone to have my babies be that quiet," Rosie agreed. "Well, Daniel was good and Eddie was fine, but Bea?" She widened her eyes and shook her head. "Bea was a toughie, for sure."

Charlie whistled, thinking back to how difficult their only daughter was for the first eighteen months of her life. “Yeah, she's lucky she's cute. An' let's hope Josie is, too, Jack, 'cause I really doubt you'll be able to switch your two-day-old princess with Davey an' Chaya's two-week-old boy an' actually get away with it. I know Davey gets lost in his head sometimes, but even _he_ would prob'ly notice _that_." He paused, then added, "Well, eventually, anyway."

"Aw, hush," Jack said, giving Charlie a light shove. "A man c'n dream, can't he?"

“Daddy!” Eleanor called, breaking off in the middle of her made-up song. “I wanna meet the baby. Let’s _go._ ”

“Her highness has spoken,” Jack said sotto voce to his friends, then turned back to his children. “Ellie, Nicky, Bear—thank Uncle Charlie and Aunt Rosie for letting you stay with them this week, okay?”

The children chorused their thanks, Charlie and Rosie gave hugs and smiles and “you’re welcomes,” and then the Kellys were out the door and headed back to the two-bedroom apartment that now housed two adults, one cat, and four children under the age of seven. They’d need a bigger place, and soon, Jack knew, but infants didn’t take up much space, and the doctor had cautioned him against making any major life changes right now (Jack didn’t think the baby counted; Katherine did, but she was willing to break a few rules when she thought it would do Jack good), and honestly, when were he and his heavily pregnant wife supposed to carve out the time to go find a place that was affordable and spacious and worthy of his Ace and his kids and—

“Daddy!” Theo said, poking Jack in the eye. “No baby! Noooo baby. _Ee-oh_ baby. No mo baby!”

Jack grunted. “Ow! Careful, Bear. That hurt!”

“No baby,” Theo repeated.

Jack chucked Theo under the chin. “But Theo, I thought you were excited about the new baby?”

Theo shoved out his lower lip and crossed his pudgy arms. “No!”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Well, tough luck, ‘cause we got one waitin’ f’r you at home, bud, an' we ain't givin' it back.” Theo howled and began trying to hurl himself out of Jack’s arms, to no avail.

In the midst of this chaos, Nicky tugged on Jack’s pant leg. “Whassa baby’s name, Daddy?”

“Josephine,” Jack shouted over Theo’s shrieks.

“An’ she comed outta Mommy’s ut’rus?”

“Um.” Jack scrunched his face up. “Well. Not directly, but... yes?" He thought about whether this was a lie or not, quickly deciding that it wasn't. Not technically. Besides, surely it was okay to keep Nicholas in the dark about some of the intermediate steps. Particularly since they were out in public. "Yes, Nicky," he said, his tone decisive. "That's right. The baby came out of Mommy's uterus.”

Nicholas frowned and looked down at his stomach. “Where’s my ut’rus, Daddy?”

“You don’t have one, Bug,” Jack said, wishing that they weren’t having this conversation—a conversation they’d already had at least ten times over the course of Katherine’s pregnancy—on the streets of New York.

“I do, though!” Eleanor chirped, patting her stomach. “It’s in here! An’ when I grow up I’m gonna have babies pop outta my uterus! Bang!”

“Bang!” Nicholas echoed, giggling.

“Bang!” Eleanor repeated, flinging her hands sharply away from her stomach.

“Bang!” Theo said, eager to be included.

“This is mortifying,” Jack muttered under his breath, picking up the pace as his children continued their new game for the next three blocks. “Absolutely mortifying.” He waved them inside the apartment building and hustled them up the stairs, hoping they didn’t run into any neighbors. He was capable of a lot of things, but explaining the cause of his children's glee to an acquaintance? No. He pulled them up short before the door, clamping a hand on each of their shoulders in turn and putting a finger to his lips. “We all gotta be quiet now, okay? Mommy and the baby are real tired, so we need to be quiet in case they’re napping. Understand?" He met their eyes and they nodded. "Good. Let's be quiet like mice, Kelly clan.”

All three children immediately began making whispered squeaking noises, and Jack shook his head, shushing them once more. “Like mice that don’t talk. Mice like Cousin Miriam.”

Looks of comprehension dawned on Eleanor and Nicholas’ faces, and they nodded. Theo nodded, too, although Jack was never sure when Theo was actually paying attention to things and when he was just imitating everyone else as an afterthought.

Nicky burst through the door first. “We home!” His high-pitched yell echoed down the hallway, and Jack sighed. Well, at least he’d tried.

“Where’s that baby?” Eleanor demanded, her hands on her hips and her voice at full volume.

“Wanna see that baby!” Nicholas added, reaching for Eleanor’s hand.

“ _Ee-oh_ baby!” Theodore wailed, bursting into tears.

Kate Pulitzer popped her head out of the kitchen. “Hello there, my little wildlings! Your mother’s in the living room with your new sister. Come wash your hands, and then you can go meet her.”

Theo collapsed against Jack’s shoulder, a fountain of saltwater and snot. “Noooooo! No baby!”

“Naptime?” Kate asked.

Jack shrugged and sighed. “Guess he’s realizin’ we weren’t kiddin’ about the baby. Doesn’t wanna give up his spot an' all the attention that comes with it.”

Kate made a sympathetic noise and took Theo into her arms. “Naptime for you, little man. Shh, Theodore. It’s alright, darling.” She patted him on the back and whisked him away, leaving Jack to ensure that his oldest two children washed their hands and dried them on clean towels, not on their somehow-already-dirty clothing, before taking them to meet their sister.

Jack carefully opened the door to the living room, smiling with relief to see that Katherine was awake. “Hello again, love,” he said, pushing the door wider so that the children could file in. “Theo had a meltdown—you probably heard that—so Kate’s putting him down for a nap, but I have two well-behaved Kellys here with me to meet Miss Josephine.”

“Come on in, sweethearts,” Katherine said gently, noticing Eleanor’s wide eyes and the fact that Nicholas had just jammed his thumb in his mouth. “Josephine woke up just to meet you—do you want to say hello to her?”

Nicky took a step backwards, releasing Eleanor’s hand to cling to Jack’s leg, but Ellie nodded and moved slowly to the couch, clambering onto it and kneeling next to her mother. Her eyes grew even bigger as she leaned over her mother’s lap, taking in the tiny face and clenched fists of her baby sister.

She looked up to Katherine, her mouth open in surprise, and Katherine smiled encouragingly. “What are you thinking, muffin?”

“She’s so little,” Eleanor breathed, gazing back down at the baby. She frowned then, leaning in further, studying Josephine’s scrunched chin and nearly invisible eyebrows. “Are you sure she’s the right one? She doesn’t look like me.”

Katherine’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “I’m sure, love. She’s got your daddy’s eyes. Oh, look! She's just opened them, Bunny. See? They're hazel like Daddy's and Theo's. She's ours, I promise.”

“Hmm.” Eleanor studied Josephine and her half-open eyes a minute more, then nodded. “Okay. I guess she’s ours.” She looked back up to Katherine, a crease of worry between her eyes. “We _are_ gonna keep her, right?”

Katherine looked over to Jack, who was holding a very uncertain Nicholas in his arms, and gave a teasing smile. “What do you think, dear heart? Are we keeping the baby?”

“Well, why don’t we ask Nicholas first,” Jack said, looking down at his son. “What do you think, Nicky? Are you ready to say hi?”

Nicky pressed himself closer to Jack, biting his lip, and then suddenly gave a quick nod.

“Okay, Bug,” Jack said, walking to the couch. “Here she is, all awake and excited to meet you.” 

Nicholas slowly peered over the edge of Jack’s arms and then looked rapidly from Josephine to Katherine, Josephine to Katherine, and then pulled himself back to burrow into Jack’s chest.

Katherine settled Eleanor against her side and said, “Nicky, darling, what are you thinking? Talk to me, Bug.”

He shook his head against Jack, who rubbed Nicky’s back and then sat them both down on Katherine’s right side. “Nicholas? It’s okay, _a thaisce_. Do you want to take another look? You don’t have to.”

Nicky took a deep breath and pulled his head away from Jack’s shirt, eyes flicking back and forth between Josephine and Katherine. “C’n I touch her?” He whispered, looking to Katherine for reassurance, and stretched out his arm in response to Katherine’s nod and smile. He placed a tentative finger on Josephine’s forehead, yanking it back immediately when she responded with a yawn. “She moved!” He yelped, holding his finger out to Jack as if it had been burned.

Eleanor giggled and put her own finger on Josie’s head, breaking into peals of laughter as the newborn sighed and smacked her lips. “Look, Mommy! She likes me! Let’s keep her!”

“Nicky?” Katherine asked. “What do you think?”

He gave a quick smile and nodded, nestling into Jack’s arms in a way that allowed him to see the baby without having to get any closer to her. “She’s cute, Mommy. I wanna keep Jo-pheen.”

“Me, too, pumpkin,” Katherine said, kissing her fingers and then pressing them to Nicholas’ cheek.

Jack beamed at his family and then sighed in contentment, gazing down at his youngest. She was perfect, she really was. “That settles it, then. Josephine stays.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't intended to add another chapter to this, but... here it is! I think we all need some extra fluff in our lives right now, don't you?


End file.
